1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved mounting rail. The rail is of the type horizontally mounted on a hospital wall or on wall-mounted units which enclose wires and piping in a housing. Various types of equipment and appliances used in installations such as intensive care units and emergency rooms are hung on or clamped to such rails. The present invention is an improved rail structure making it possible to hang or clamp a wide variety of pieces of equipment and to use with such rail different kinds of brackets and clamps. The invention also relates to an improved clamp having a rotating knob which locks the clamp on the rail or, when turned in proper position makes it possible to remove the clamp or to slide the clamp longitudinally along the rail.
2. Description of Related Art
Rails of this general type are commonly used in hospitals Such rails are either separate from or incorporated in hospital wall units. One particular type of rail is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,693 [Fairfield] being generally rectangular in external shape and having along the top and bottom adjacent the front face longitudinal grooves. Clamps such as shown in said patent cooperate with such grooves to clamp a bracket onto the rail so that it may slide or be fixed thereon or be removed therefrom. It will be understood that many different styles of rails and clamps have heretofore been used in the hospital equipment industry.